How bad is it to hold your pee

What harm can holding your pee possibly do to you? If you don't know it already, understand the risk of not attending to nature's call.

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Go When You Have Got to Go

If you are attending a meeting or some important work, the possibility of getting nature’s call does not strike you even once or you may be already in desperate need to attend nature's call but you feel embarrassed to use the office bathroom. Well, you should never hold your pee. An average bladder can hold about 15 ounces of liquid (read eight glasses of water) but holding the urine for a longer period of time stretches the bladder. When your bladder gets full, the automatic feedback mechanism sends a signal to the brain to urge you to get to the nearest toilet. Image Courtesy: Getty

How Long is it Okay to Hold your Pee?

Well, some people may hold it for long while others may not hold it for longer than few minutes. How long you can hold your pee depends upon the amount of urine you produce. It all depends on your hydration status, intake of fluids and functional capacity of your bladder. But people who often tend to hold their pee may lose their ability to know the right time to go. The longer you hold your pee; your bladder will become a breeding ground for bacteria to grow and may cause these health risks. Image Courtesy: womenhealthmag.com

Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that affects the urinary tract. It can affect any part of the urinary tract. It occurs when the bacteria enters the urethra and the bladder which can eventually spread to the kidneys as well. Women are more likely to get urinary tract infection due to shorter urethras but it usually is more serious in men. The common symptoms of urinary tract infection include cloudy or blood coloured urine, a strong need to urinate, low fever and burning sensation while urinating. If you experience such symptoms, get yourself checked whether it's a minor infection or a severe one involving the kidney. In most cases, antibiotics are used to treat urinary tract infections. Lower UTIs can be treated with oral antibiotics while upper UTIs can be treated with intravenous antibiotics. Image Courtesy: Getty

Interstitial Cystitis

An interstitial cystitis is a painful bladder syndrome which causes inflammation and pain in the bladder which stores the urine. People with interstitial cystitis tend to urinate more often and usually with smaller volumes of urine than most people. The exact cause of interstitial cystitis is not known yet but doctors believe it is caused by bacterial infection. The common symptoms include a painful pelvis, persistent urge to urinate and in some cases, urinating more than 60 times a day. There is no cure for this condition but treatment is given to ease the symptoms. Image Courtesy: huffingtonpost.com

Healthy Urine Colours

There are a number of ways to determine a healthy urine colour. Normal urine colour may range from pale yellow to deep amber. Pigments and other elements from certain foods and medications can change the colour of your urine. If your urine becomes white it indicates that you’re drinking too many fluids on the other hand if it gets too dark and concentrated, it indicates dehydration. Unusual colour of the urine is the most common sign of urinary tract infection. Image Courtesy: sciencedaily.com

When Your Urine Isn't Yellow

If your urine is bloody, you most likely have an infection. However, certain foods such as beets, berries, asparagus and fava beans can affect your urine's colour. Beets change urine's colour to red while vitamin B makes it green. Image Courtesy:Getty

Kidney Failure

Kidney failure is a medical condition in which the kidneys suddenly become unable to filter toxins and waste from the blood. When the kidneys fail to filter, the dangerous levels waste may accumulate in the blood affecting the chemical makeup of blood. Kidney failures can occur from existing infections, burns or diseases or when you experience direct damage to your kidneys. The symptoms of kidney failure include bruises, bloody stool, changes in mental mood, fatigue and drowsiness. Treatments include balancing the amount of fluids in the blood, flushing out toxins from your body, restoring your kidney's functions and medications to restore blood calcium levels. In some cases, dialysis or even a transplant may be needed when the toxins build up in the blood.Image Courtesy: Getty

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are solid crystals that form in the kidney. These stones can be of different sizes and shapes. These crystals are more common among men but some women can also develop kidney stones. The kidney stones may form when there is an abnormality in the balance of water, salts, mineral and other substances in the urine. Most people may not even realize they have kidney stones until they urinate. Urination can be painful, bloody and may even cause nausea. The treatment depends upon the size of the stones. Small stones don’t require any treatment other than taking medicines and drinking enough fluids. Image Courtesy: Getty

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